"Enid. It's time to wake up, dear." A voice said from the darkness.
"Ugh..." Enid groaned as she slowly opened her eyes and found herself lying down on a bench in the middle of Storybrooke as she looked around, seeing that it was a whole other day. "What? Where am I?" she then asked frantically.
"Exactly where I need you to be." Ingrid stated with a small smirk as she was shown to be there.
"H-Hey! What are you doing?" Enid demanded. "You can't just keep me hostage forever! Miss Lotus won't stand for it!"
"Even when she finds out what you were planning to do to tell her?" Ingrid replied. "Besides, I need your special power to help me get what I need and then I'll get you to what you need."
"What does that mean?" Enid demanded.
"Don't you feel lonely, Enid?" Ingrid replied. "Aren't you wondering who you are and where you came from?"
"...well, yes," Enid admitted softly. "I don't really remember anything before I ended up in Neverland and that jerk Peter Pan kept me locked in a tower... I felt something familiar though when I was with Mr. Nolan and we found Rapunzel locked in her tower."
"I had a feeling and I'm going to help you find out where you came from and what happened to you between your birth and ending up in Neverland." Ingrid insisted.
"And how do you plan on doing that?" Enid wondered as she began to get up off of the bench.
"With this of course," Ingrid said as she brought out a certain book. "Do you know what this is?" she then prompted.
"A storybook?" Enid guessed.
"Very close, but no, it's a heredary book," Ingrid explained. "This can help explain more about who you are, where you came from, and all of that good stuff, and I'll let you have it."
"...for a price, right?" Enid guessed.
"Yes, my dear, I'm sure you know by now that all magic comes with a price." Ingrid said with a bit of an icy smirk.
Enid pouted and sighed. "What do I have to do?" she then asked.
"Everything I say and you shouldn't question why if you truly want to get what you want," Ingrid replied as she held onto the book to keep it out of Enid's grip on purpose. "Now come with me. I have a job to do while we're in town." she then said, beginning to lead the way.
Enid sighed as she didn't like the sound of that and soon followed Ingrid over to the library, but more specifically, up to the clock tower. The two soon made it over there and while there, Ingrid put up a certain mirror and Enid followed her and stayed quiet for now.
Meanwhile, Regina was in her vault and had a lot on her mind, especially since Evie had gone away to sleep over at Ben's house for a couple of days after their little mother/daughter argument. She brought out a book and began to look through it, but suddenly she wasn't alone. "Evie dear?" she then called hopefully.
"Actually, it's me," The outlaw of Sherwood Forest corrected as he came to see the former Evil Queen. "Hello, Regina." he then greeted.
"I told you it was best to stay away," Regina reminded him, trying not to sound too emotional. "The only way Marian is going to live is if you give her a kiss of true love."
"I know." Robin nodded.
"Then why are you here?" Regina demanded.
"Honestly... I don't know," Robin admitted softly. "My mind was in the forest, but my heart took me here."
"Robin... You have to save her." Regina said, even though she didn't seem to want to say that.
"Because it's the right thing to do?" Robin guessed.
"Because she's your wife," Regina clarified. "And seeing you here and hearing about your conflicted heart? It's torture."
"For that, I'm sorry, but I can't just fall back in love with Marian..." Robin replied. "Not when you're in my life."
Regina scoffed softly. "Which is why Evie, nor I can't be in your life." she then shook her head.
"You're right!" Robin admitted strongly. "But that doesn't change the fact that... I don't know what to do!" he then added.
"You need to forget about me... And start thinking about her," Regina told him. "Maybe your sister can help you out? She lost Neal after all and maybe she's moving on."
"No, actually, I haven't spoken to her much since that happened and not even Koda, the last I heard was that she was babysitting for Snow White and Prince Charming." Robin explained.
"Then... maybe you should go find her..." Regina suggested and then suddenly left him all alone in her vault.
Robin watched her go and just sighed, alone with his heavy thoughts yet again. He then did think about his sister and tried to think of a way for them to probably meet up and talk since she's been mysteriously away from other people for longer than anyone would expect her to and especially with Koda.
Meanwhile at the sheriff's station, Elsa and Elwin sat together until Emma found something to show them, but mostly Elsa in particular.
"Belle found something in here... A spell," Emma said as she showed a book to them. "It may be able to work against The Snow Queen."
"It's not gonna kill her, is it?" Elwin asked out of concern.
"No. No one's killing anyone," Emma reassured as Elsa glanced through the book as it was written in a strange language. "It's just... Neutralize her powers. Maybe."
"Can you read this?" Elsa asked Emma and Elwin.
"Definitely nothing I've read in school and I had history class with Mr. Cogsworth," Elwin said as he took a look before rolling her eyes. "That man's a real stickler when it comes to time."
"I've heard he used to be Father Time," Emma commented before checking the book and felt puzzled. "Elvish? No, I didn't even see 'Lord of The Rings'," she said before shaking her head. "Never mind. Belle translated it. It tells us how to enact the spell."
"So, uh, do you know what it says?" Elwin asked Elsa.
"Yes, I do," Elsa nodded as she soon read aloud from Elvish to English for both of them. "'With both hands, hold the candle and then use your magic to light it. And then when you blow on it'..."
"Then bam! She's right back to selling ice cream," Emma concluded hopefully. "My guess is business will be down."
"Maybe without her powers, we can talk to her," Elsa replied. "We can find Anna and maybe even Jack Frost. We can get some real answers."
"Jack Frost?" Emma asked.
"Elwin's father..." Elsa nodded. "He really understood me like no one else did."
"I always knew Jack Frost was a cool guy," Elwin smirked before winking. "No pun intended."
"Does your sister have magic?" Emma asked Elsa.
"No, and I think that's why The Snow Queen is so interested in you and maybe even took Elwin since both Jack Frost, and I had magic and it passed down onto him." Elsa said and then added.
"Yeah." Emma agreed.
"Does anyone in your family have magic?" Elsa asked Emma.
Emma seemed to hesitate before answering. "No."
"It's hard when they look at you differently, isn't it?" Elsa then asked.
"They don't." Emma reassured.
Elwin raised an eyebrow at that.
"You're lucky," Elsa replied with a small smile as she closed the book before standing up. "Okay. You guys wanna try this?" she then asked.
"I'm not sure if I really have the fire in me, but I'll give it a shot." Elwin replied.
"That's the spirit, my little Snow Prince." Elsa smiled.
Elwin smiled back, feeling blessed at that as he and Elsa stood a few feet apart from each other. He then took a deep breath and tried the spell, making the fire fly from the candle, but the flame was suddenly absobred in the air and they seemed to fail.
"I'm sorry. Should we try again?" Elsa said softly.
"I guess." Elwin replied bashfully.
"Emma, wanna help?" Elsa offered.
"Later. I have to meet Mary Margaret," Emma replied. "I'm supposed to babysit tonight."
"Life goes on." Elsa said with a shrug.
Emma frowned softly, trying to comfort Elsa and Elwin from the absences of both Jack Frost and Anna. "We'll find them." she then promised Elsa and Elwin.
"It's okay. Go," Elsa reassured her softly. "I'll be here."
"And I'll be here too." Elwin added before he took out his phone and it seemed to glow for a moment.
Elsa glanced at that with wide eyes as Emma suddenly left the station while the two would stay behind.
In the meantime, there was a session with new mothers, including Olga's mother Odile von Rothbart who insisted that her new child Crow who was Olga's new baby brother was better than all of the others and Ashley reminded her that no one was better or anyone was any less than they were in her class.
"Goodbye Alex, goodbye Leo, goodbye Phillip, goodbye Crow~" The mothers all sang together, sweetly to their little ones It's time for us to go. Yay!~"
"That wasn't so bad for a first week, huh?" Ashley smiled as she held onto her little one. "Okay, moms, next time, we're gonna sing more songs. So I've burned you all a CD." she then added as it was time to leave until next time.
"What's a CD?" Aurora asked as she carried Phillip Junior in her arms.
"Oh. She's new," Mary Margaret told Ashley before explaining to Aurora. "Well, a CD player is sort of like a music box. There is one underneath your TV here at Granny's."
"Ah, Audrey's asked for one of those players, but I dare not touch that devil box," Aurora realized and then added firmly. "I won't make that mistake twice."
"Good luck with that, Sleeping Beauty." Odile hissed quietly.
"At least my children won't be subjected into being villains." Aurora retorted with a warning glare.
"No fighting, it's not good for the little ones." Ashley warned the mothers.
Aurora and Odile shared a look at each other before they also left with Phillip Junior and Crow.
"Emma, you missed the goodbye song." Mary Margaret said once she saw her grown daughter coming over.
"I got the gist of it from the title," Emma said with a small smirk. "Is Baby Bro ready?" she then added.
"Yes," Mary Margaret nodded before pointing out the babysitting tools. "Oh, just a few things... Uh, diaper bag, stroller, milk." she then pointed out.
"He sure has a lot of stuff." Emma noted.
"Well, I wanted to give him everything." Mary Margaret said as Emma shared a small look at that, but didn't say anything.
"Emma!" Ashley called out, seeing the woman who helped her be able to keep her baby and not leave Storybrooke.
"Oh, Ashley," Emma smiled at the other woman. "Look at you the baby whisperer."
"What can I say? I just took to it," Ashley replied. "There's just only one other baby at home I have a hard time dealing with who might not grow up."
"One other baby at home?" Emma asked before chuckling. "Oh, you mean Chad."
"Still whining and fussing about not being The King of the School," Ashley smirked. "Now, if you need help getting Leo to sleep, just tell him he's gonna turn into a pumpkin by midnight. Mother Superior and Jane swear by that." she then added.
"So, this is what you do here?" Emma asked as she examined the Mommy & Me class up close. "You give sleeping tips and sing songs, and..."
"Oh, it's more than just that," Ashley clarified. "It's like having a support group. I mean, being a first-time mother is not easy."
"First-time mother." Emma repeated softly with a look towards Mary Margaret.
"Emma, of course... I'm not a first-time mother." Mary Margaret reminded her adult daughter.
"Well, you kind of are. You've never raised a baby before," Emma shrugged. "You just put one through a magical wardrobe."
Mary Margaret frowned a little bit in concern.
"It's okay. I get it. It's all new for you," Emma said, taking Leo's bottle at first. "This is exciting... Mommy & Me classes and songs and first steps and all. It must be really exciting," she then said, about to hold her baby brother until her cell phone suddenly rang and she answered it. "Hello?"
"Emma, there's something going on at the clock tower," David said urgently on the other line. "There's a trail going upstairs. A frozen trail."
"The Snow Queen," Emma said, realizing who that could be. "She still up there?" she then added.
"The trail goes up, doesn't come down." David explained.
"All right. I'll be right there," Emma told him before hanging up. "The Snow Queen is in the clock tower. I guess I'll have to take a rain check on babysitting." she then told Mary Margaret before leaving the room suddenly.
Mary Margaret frowned softly as Emma just took off like that.
Emma, Elsa, and Elwin soon came to the library, used the elevator, and came right up to the clock tower to find The Snow Queen there along with Enid who was trapped in handcuffs.
"Hey!" Emma yelled out.
Ingrid then heard Emma and shot an icicle at the younger blonde woman's neck, bruising it instantly.
"Aah!" Emma yelled as that hurt.
Elsa then took out the candle. "Elwin, now! Like I told you!" she then instructed.
Elwin then blew the flame on the candle, combining that with his own magic and soon grabbed Ingrid and freed Enid right away, but Ingrid was now snared in the flames and they became handcuffs from the spell.
"You did it." Elsa beamed at Elwin proudly before hugging him.
"Yeah. I guess I did." Elwin said to Elsa, smiling a little in the hug.
"We got you now." Emma smirked at Ingrid.
"Elwin..." Ingrid frowned as Elwin came to help Enid out, causing him to look back at her. "What have you done? How could you?"
Elwin didn't say anything and soon looked back at Enid. "Let's get you back home to Miss Lotus." he then suggested.
Enid was hesitant at first because of the leverage that kept her in Ingrid's grip, but she agreed and accepted her close friend's help and soon went with him right out of the clock tower.
In the sheriff's station, Ingrid was sitting with the handcuffs still restraining her as Emma and Elsa came to confront her in the questioning room.
"All right, Queenie, time to talk." Emma demanded.
"Ooh. You should get that looked at, Emma." Ingrid suggested, seeing the scar on the younger woman's neck.
"Oh, now you want to play nice?" Emma scoffed.
"With you two? Don't you understand?" Ingrid countered. "That's all I've ever wanted."
"We don't care what you want. Where are Anna and Jack Frost?" Elsa retorted. "They're alive. We know it. We heard Anna's heartbeat and Jack Frost wouldn't leave me on his own terms."
"You heard her heartbeat?" Ingrid asked curiously.
"From Bo Peep's crook." Elsa clarified strongly.
"Sounds like someone's grasping at straws about their long-lost sister and lover." Ingrid taunted.
"What happened to them and why did you take Elwin away from us?" Elsa demanded as she began to feel very angry.
"I'm not sure you should care. I told you... Anna's the one who put you in that urn," Ingrid defended. "I have no idea why you'd want to find someone like that."
"Because she is my sister and she would never do what you say." Elsa retorted.
"Or she's your sister and she couldn't handle what you... What we... Are," Ingrid countered. "And she did exactly as I say."
"No!" Elsa yelled in fury.
"Elsa. Please. Take it easy. She's getting under your skin," Emma said, trying to calm Elsa down. "Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment. If we want answers, we have to be calm."
"She knows what happened to Anna and Jack Frost." Elsa reminded Emma.
"And we're gonna figure it all out," Emma reassured her. "You go help David and Hook try to figure out how to take apart her mirror. I got this." she then suggested.
"Emma..." Elsa frowned about that a little.
"I got it." Emma reassured her.
Elsa frowned softly, though she had to admit that Emma was right and she then took her leave right after that.
Emma watched Elsa leave and then approached The Snow Queen again. "Okay. Now it's just me." she then said.
"Good," Ingrid then said. "You're the one I wanted to talk to anyway."
"Yeah, yeah. I know. You want me and probably even Elwin to turn to the dark side and be your... sister/buddy/something or other," Emma replied. "I'm not interested."
"I'm so proud of you, Emma." Ingrid said with a small smile.
"No, that's not gonna work," Emma said, trying to ignore that. "I know that we have a past, which we're gonna get into, but you're not gonna push my buttons."
"I'm being completely sincere," Ingrid countered calmly. "Use your superpower... You'll see I'm telling the truth." she then suggested.
Emma's eyes widened in response. "How do you know about that?" she then asked.
"You told me. When you were a child," Ingrid reminded her calmly. "What a lovely child you were. I am so grateful I got to know you then."
"Don't talk to me like we're friends." Emma scoffed and glared then.
"We're not friends, Emma," Ingrid replied. "We're family."
"I know that's what you want, but whatever past we had... The past you stole from me..." Emma glared. "I know enough to tell you about the future and what you want? It ain't gonna happen, sister."
"Oh, but it will. You see, at the end of the day, you'll understand that everything that I've been saying is true," Ingrid reassured her. "And then you'll do the last thing in the world you'd think possible right now."
"Yeah? What's that?" Emma demanded.
"You're going to let me go." Ingrid replied.
Emma's only response was a bit of a quiet stare, not doing that at all.
"Now, then..." Ingrid sighed, seeing that didn't work. "What would you like to talk about?" she then prompted.
Regina was shown to be reading the storybook in her library, going through the various pages. There were pictures of Snow White and Prince Charming coming together, Cinderella being with her own prince, and there was even Robin Hood with his beloved Maid Marian as she tried very hard not to get hurt by it, but her thoughts were interrupted by a young voice.
"Hey, Mom. Could you help me with this thing?" Henry asked as he came in, wearing a suit and a tie that wasn't tied. "I guess Evie's not home yet from sleeping over at Ben's."
"No, I'm afraid she isn't," Regina admitted before she observed her son with a small smile. "Well, look at you all dressed up. What's the occasion?" she then wondered.
"Dee Dee and I are getting married." Henry said.
Regina looked wide-eyed at that at first.
"Work. With Grandpa. At the shop," Henry then told her the real occasion after seeing her expression. "He said if I was gonna learn the family business, I'd have to represent the family business. Which would be fine if it didn't also mean wearing a tie. I don't know how Ben wears these sorts of clothes all the time." he then added, slightly annoyed.
"Well, I think you look very handsome." Regina told him warmly and began to help tie his tie for him.
"So, what happened?" Henry then asked her.
"What do you mean?" Regina asked.
"You were tearing through the book with your scary face on," Henry explained. "Did something happen with Robin Hood?" he then asked.
"No. I'm just... I'm moving on," Regina sighed, trying to explain to him in the best way possible. "Whatever he and I had, it's over. I just need to let it go."
Henry frowned a little softly. "I'm sorry, Mom." he then told her.
"But the next time a happy ending knocks on my door, I'm gonna be ready," Regina then reassured him, making a strong smile on her face after she finished tying his tie. "I'm not gonna let this book stop me again. From now on... Operation: Mongoose is my main focus. We will find the author."
"Good," Henry smiled back. "And I have a few ideas about where to look for clues next in the shop."
Regina smiled, hugging him and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Now get to work." she then said.
Henry smiled and soon went to get over to the pawnshop. Regina smiled back, though she sighed as she was alone and checked her phone for any calls or messages from Evie, but it was still quiet from her.
In the questioning room, Emma and Ingrid were still talking as Emma brought out a glass of water for Ingrid. "So, The Spell of Shattered Sight. Pretty impressive stuff." she then remarked.
"What does it matter?" Ingrid replied. "You stopped me."
"That's right. I did. We know who you are. We know what you're planning," Emma retorted strongly. "And we know that for some sick, twisted reason, you want Elsa and me to replace your long-lost sisters."
"Well, then, you have all your answers," Ingrid replied. "May I retire to my cell now?" she then asked.
"No. I want to know why," Emma replied. "Why have you been tracking me my whole life?" she then demanded.
"I was trying to protect you, Emma, and especially Elwin." Ingrid reassured her.
"Is that what you were doing in the foster home, protecting me?" Emma scoffed. "So why did you erase my memories? Because they were just too good?"
"Every family has their ups and downs." Ingrid remarked.
'You see, no, you and I... We are not family," Emma shook her head. "I have one of those, and it spans three generations and 400 years."
"Family isn't about blood. It is a bond far stronger than mere genetics. Elsa, Elwin, and I are your real family because we are the only ones like you," Ingrid explained calmly. "We belong together. The family that you think you have... They may love you, but they also fear you."
"No. They don't." Emma frowned.
"You've never seem them wince at your power? You've never seen a twinge of panic just behind their eyes?" Ingrid replied, seeming to know exactly what she was talking about. "Not even once? I find that hard to believe."
"They love me for who I am, including my powers." Emma defended.
"I thought that once, too, Emma," Ingrid said thoughtfully. "Besides, it isn't my fault that Jack Frost abandoned Elsa like that in the first place."
"Is it not now?" Emma wondered.
"It's The Man in the Moon," Ingrid replied. "Whenever he calls upon a new Guardian, that Guardian just has to go no questions asked most of the time until someone comes along to take their place."
"Pretty coincidental," Emma commented. "Then what happened to make you take custody of Elwin?" she then wondered.
"Well, an old friend of mine asked me to until your parents sealed the barrier until there were major emergencies such as the wardrobe you came from," Ingrid then said. "You see, the wood in Narnia is very special and sacred that it allows closets and wardrobes to send people from that world into The Land Without Magic, especially after the disappearance of my one and only true friend: Jadis."
"Jadis?" Emma asked.
"Yes, they call her The Winter Witch of Narnia, she was truly like my sister after what happened to Helga and Gerda," Ingrid explained. "Elsa couldn't bear to raise her child all alone and Jadis helped me find him and since he was all alone, I decided to take him in and raise him as my son when I heard about this Dark Curse coming to be and since I already lost my sisters and everyone else, I decided to take care of Elwin for Elsa since it was her true and secret wish after losing Jack Frost to The Man in the Moon's demands after the last Guardian of Winter stepped down."
"A likely story..." Emma commented.
At the clock tower, the group soon made it over and looked at the mirror as it seemed to be one of the missing pieces to the puzzle that The Snow Queen left ever since this whole adventure started.
"This is what we've been worried about?" Killian scoffed at the mirror. "Shouldn't it be shaking or doing something evil?"
"Agreed. It feels like just a harmless looking glass to me." Elsa nodded as all they saw was their reflections.
"I think it's cursed..." Harry pointed out. "I have spinach in my teeth in this mirror!"
"Check your two front teeth for a moment, son." Killian suggested.
Harry then licked his teeth a bit and suddenly stuck his tongue out to see a spinach leaf there and smiled bashfully.
"I've found nothing to counteract the spell yet," Belle warned the others, coming to join them with a book until she saw them all looking in the mirror. "Hey, stop! Do not look in that thing. It'll make you see the worst in yourself." she then warned them.
"It must be broken," Killian reassured her before grinning at the mirror. "I've been staring at it all day, and I think my son and I are even more devilishly handsome and charming than usual."
Harry spat in his hand and then slicked back his hair with that hand and winked at his reflection. "Yeah~" he then agreed.
"Uh... Th-This isn't the same mirror." Belle then realized.
"Why would The Snow Queen risk coming all the way out here to plant a fake mirror?" Elsa wondered as she began to feel confused.
"Because she wanted to get caught." David said, about to take off until something else happened.
"Look, Dad, petals." Harry said to Killian, showing them to him from the corner where Enid was before.
"What would flowers be doing here?" David wondered.
"Not just any flowers, mate... Sundrop Flowers," Killian replied as he took a closer look. "Pan had these grow all over Neverland to cease the aging process."
"But who do we know who would keep Sundrop Flowers?" David wondered.
"I only know one person, but I doubt it has to do with her since I haven't seen her in a very long time." Killian replied.
"Red Jessica and Zarina, Dad?" Harry guessed.
"No, Harry, her name is Gothel, but I don't know what business she would have in Storybrooke and especially with The Snow Queen." Killian replied mysteriously.
"Perhaps that's our next clue?" David replied.
"We'll probably find out later," Killian said. "Harry, bring those petals with you, we've got to run."
Harry nodded at his father and soon ran after David and Killian right out of the clock tower.
"So how's Ben?" Elwin asked Belle.
"I think he'll be okay, he and Evie are discussing something with that girl Carina Potts who's said to be the best party planner in all of Storybrooke," Belle replied. "He probably wants to give you all something to look forward to after The Snow Queen is done with."
"Carina Potts?" Elsa asked curiously.
"She and her mother used to own The Little Tea Shop until Jefferson, The Mad Hatter bought it, and turned it into a teenager hang out for after school," Elwin explained to Elsa. "It's really cool."
"Oh, I hope it's not too cool, I don't want your friends to not feel warm." Elsa replied.
"That's not what I mean..." Elwin said with a small sigh, though he should have expected that with how old-fashioned Elsa currently was.
Meanwhile at Mr. Gold's shop, Ben rubbed his head as came to see Henry and check on him.
"So you think this book will have everything I need for my independent ballet?" Dee Dee asked her best friend.
"Grandpa reassured me, Dee Dee," Henry told her with a small smile as he let her have it after accepting money from her of course. "It sounds interesting though to find out that Mother Ginger was a toy that your grandmother once played with before it helped gain your mother access into The Land of Sweets before finding your father and the defeat of The Rat King."
"Tell me about it," Dee Dee agreed. "I just hope Papa Leroy and Mama Nova don't feel bad that I'm basing my ballet on where I actually came from instead of a dwarf and fairy godmother."
"I'm sure it'll be just fine, Dee Dee," Henry said with a small smile. "After all, your mother did have a fairy godmother of her own like your adoptive mother."
"That's true... The Sugarplum Fairy," Dee Dee smiled back as she hugged the book. "See you later, Henry."
"I wish you could take me with you." Henry whispered as he waved goodbye to Dee Dee who left the shop.
"So, buddy, how's business?" Ben asked, coming to see the younger boy.
"Well, I sold Dee Dee a book that could tell her more about her family story from The Nutcracker Prince and I've swept the floor twice," Henry explained. "Don't you think it's time I learned something a bit more... Magical?" he then asked.
"Gee, Dad, what do you think?" Ben asked his father.
Rumple smirked in amusement as he came over. "Well, Henry, today is your lucky day. Because I am gonna give you a potion that possesses the power to transform something old into something new." he then began to say, taking out a small container.
"What kind of potion is that?" Henry asked out of intrigue.
"Furniture Polish. You can start in the back," Rumple replied and instructed his young grandson. "Don't touch anything you shouldn't."
Henry looked a bit deadpan before going to use the furniture polish.
"Boy, that brings back memories..." Ben commented. "Especially if Evie would come over and I had to deal with customers for you before we could go hang out and have lunch together."
"So I see," Rumple remarked. "You kids are always worried about never having time to have fun when you have a lot of time in the world and you'll be all grown up before you know it."
"I've heard, Dad," Ben nodded. "I just hope Aunt Regina and Evie will be okay now."
"Did you say something to her about her mother?" Rumple wondered.
"No, we were just mostly talking to that girl Carina about having a special party at school once this Snow Queen issue is fixed," Ben advised. "It's almost Springtime after all, so we might have a Spring Cotillion."
"Well, in that case, I wish you a lot of luck, I just hope your friend remembers to talk to her mother soon," Rumple suggested. "You never know when it might just be the last time."
"I understand, Dad..." Ben said softly. "I don't wanna lose you like you lost your father or Neal lost you."
"Me neither, son." Rumple agreed tenderly.
Then suddenly, David, Killian, Harry, and Belle came into the shop.
"Ah, this kind of procession never bodes well." Rumple sighed wearily at the sight of them.
"The Snow Queen iced over the locks of the Sheriff's Station," David stated urgently. "Emma's trapped inside with her."
"We need your help, Rumple," Belle added hopefully. "You must be able to get us in there. Please. Please."
Rumple looked at her before smiling softly. "How could I turn down the pleas of my beloved wife? After you." he then replied.
"Should I come too, Dad?" Ben asked.
"Actually, before we go, why don't you check on Henry for a moment?" Rumple suggested. "Make sure you tell him where to go and how long to do it for since you worked here before he did when you were younger?"
"Well, okay..." Ben said, though he felt suspicious about that.
Soon, Belle, David, and Harry went out the door while Ben went into the back to check on his nephew.
Killian stayed behind as he had a sneaking suspicion. "All right, Crocodile. What's your game?" he soon demanded once it was just the two of them. "The last two villains that came into town tried to kill you, but you seem rather unconcerned by this one. Makes a man wonder if you two have a history."
"You can wonder all you like, dearie," Rumple replied mysteriously. "My history... My business."
Killian glared in response to that.
Back in the questioning room, Emma continued to speak with Ingrid as it was just the two of them.
"It's understandable you feel upset," Ingrid said to Emma. "I'm sure that Elwin is upset too."
"Now you think you know how I feel?" Emma scoffed at that.
"I know you better than you know yourself, Emma." Ingrid retorted softly, but still a bit strong in her own way.
"Yeah, because you took... What?... A year from my life?" Emma replied.
"When you lived with me, you talked about your parents all the time. You were so angry with them for giving you up," Ingrid replied. "Elwin felt the same way for a while until I told him stories about The Guardians of Childhood including his father, Jack Frost... and how Elsa became a Snow Princess while I became The Snow Queen and soon, Elwin shall become a Snow Prince."
"They had a good reason for that," Emma retorted. "I know that now and I'm sure Elwin's parents had a good reason too."
"It doesn't change the fact that you felt unwanted for 28 years." Ingrid reminded Emma.
"They didn't have a choice." Emma retorted.
"There is always a choice, Emma," Ingrid countered. "They could have kept you. They could have figured out something else. They could have tried and yet they used enchanted wood from a land that my dear best friend and only sister left had been banished to with the special ability to transport things to and from The Land Without Magic."
"They did what they could to save an entire Kingdom." Emma replied assertively.
"You were their only child and they used you to break a curse," Ingrid soon said. "They're still using your powers."
"That's not true." Emma frowned.
"Isn't it? How many times have you saved them?" Ingrid countered and listed. "How often have you felt more like a 'Savior' than their daughter? And all it takes is one tiny mistake, one accident, and you and your powers go from being their salvation to their worst nightmare."
"You don't know them or me." Emma said with a firm frown.
"I don't have to know you, Emma. I've been you... Different, misunderstood, alone," Ingrid clarified. "And now they've chosen to have a new child. And don't you think that they thank their lucky stars every day that he was born normal?" she then rhetorically asked.
"They love me." Emma stated as strongly as she could.
"You can't love somebody you don't understand. And do you know what happens when people don't understand something?" Ingrid replied. "They learn to fear it. And then they look at it like a monster!"
"SHUT UP!" Emma shouted and suddenly blew up the wall with some sort of magic that released from her hands before she stared at her palms, a bit wide-eyed and concerned. "W-What did you do to me?" she then asked, suddenly feeling cursed.
"All I did is show you who you really are." Ingrid replied before she soon freed herself from the handcuffs.
"M-Make it stop." Emma begged.
"I can't. It's you, Emma, and... It's beautiful." Ingrid retorted as she soon left with the wind howling in her own icy, smoke teleportation poof.
Emma then climbed out of the broken wall and looked at the station in slight horror. "What have I done?" she then asked, sounding scared of herself.
"Emma!" David called out and soon the others came to see her before seeing the destruction of the station. "You all right?" he then asked cautiously.
"We were so worried." Mary Margaret added softly.
"Wait!" Emma said, trying to make them back off.
"Seems you didn't need my help after all." Rumple scoffed to himself as he joined the group.
"Swan, what did that monster do to the Sheriff's Station?" Killian asked as he saw the damage along with everyone else.
"The 'monster' who did this was not The Snow Queen, it was me." Emma confessed.
"What?" David askd with a frown.
"Oh, man, I've seen this before..." Elwin commented to himself.
"Just keep your distance," Emma warned as she tried to keep them away from her. "I don't know if I can control myself. I don't want to hurt anyone."
"Miss Swan." Harry frowned in concern.
"We should heed her words." Rumple suggested to the others.
"Emma, we can help." Elsa offered as they all began to come a bit closer.
"Just stay away! Let me go!" Emma cried out as her powers got out of control and suddenly, a lamppost fell down and was about to come right down on top of Harry. "Watch out!" she then warned the others.
David pushed Harry out of the way against Killian and soon the light fell right down on him, making him cry out at the pain.
"David!" Mary Margaret frowned in concern before looking back at her daughter, almost sounding angry. "Emma!"
Emma frowned at that and soon suddenly ran away from them.
"Emma... Emma, wait," Mary Margaret then called gently, feeling she was being a little too hard on her daughter. "Please come back."
"Swan!" Killian cried out.
"Mom!" Henry yelped.
"It's okay! Emma!" Mary Margaret tried to tell Emma.
Emma then took her car and decied to just ride away. Elwin and Harry looked on in silence, though Elwin was the most steely-eyed as he knew about this sort of thing from the stories he grew up with hearing about.
Meanwhile, at Regina's vault, the woman was yet again looking through the storybook before looking over a bit. "Evie, you've come back home?" she then asked.
"Yes, Mom, but not only that, I have a surprise for you that I ran into on the way after seeing Ben and Carina Potts." Evie said with a small smile.
Regina looked curious until her daughter stepped to the side to show a certain outlaw. "Why am I getting a sense of déja vu?" she then muttered.
"Regina... I have lived by a code my entire life... Steal from the rich and give to the poor," Robin began to tell the former Evil Queen. "Be truthful, righteous, and good. I have tried to live by that code every day of my life."
"Then why are you here?" Regina asked him.
"'Cuz today is not one of those days." Robin stated before he approached Regina and kissed her.
Evie squealed a bit, feeling happy and excited for her mother. "Um, I'll just get settled back home and leave you guys alone for now, see ya." she then said suddenly.
Regina and Robin didn't respond to that as they just looked super happy to be with each other right now, though Regina was very happy to have a man in her life who could love her back without fearing her mother would interfere and her daughter was coming back home after being gone for a couple of days.
Eventually, Mary Margaret looked after Leo while everyone else came back after trying to search high and low for Emma. "Did you find her?" she then asked them.
"No. We looked everywhere," David said with a frown. "Which means only one thing."
"She doesn't want to be found," Harry added. "I did the same thing when I ran away to Neverland when my dad and I had that fight until Rufio was about to do away with me."
Killian then put his hand on his son's shoulder in comfort.
"I've been through this and I saw the same looks on my loved ones' faces as Emma just did," Elsa then said softly. "I saw fear."
"David, we failed today. When our daughter needed us most, she looked in our eyes, and... All she saw was fear," Mary Margaret said to her husband out of guilt. "This Snow Queen has some mirror that turns us against each other? Well, she doesn't need it. Look at us. We are doing it to ourselves."
Everyone else looked grim as they just wondered what to do next.
Rumple was back in his shop and was then greeted by The Snow Queen. "As someone who's created many monsters in his time, I am impressed by the number you did on Miss Swan." he then commented.
"I'm ready to make that deal." Ingrid demanded.
"So... You finally understand what you didn't so many years ago." Rumple said with a small smirk.
"I want my ribbons back." Ingrid then said.
"Then you'll also understand that a... a deal requires an exchange of goods," Rumple replied. "And I'm no longer convinced you have anything I want."
"You still need one more thing to cleave yourself from that dagger." Ingrid remarked.
"And how do you know about that?" Rumple demanded.
"I had that hat longer than you, maybe not as long as The Great Yen Sid, but still, I learned many things. Among them... The missing piece of your puzzle," Ingrid retorted strongly. "Give me my ribbon. I'll tell you what it is. You see, I've figured out your plan. Storybrooke... Is a small town. Too small for someone as powerful as the dark one to be content."
"Well, they did close down that ice cream parlor I was so fond of." Rumple teased.
"You want to cleave yourself from the dagger so you can venture outside Storybrooke without losing your power or your precious Belle and Ben," Ingrid scoffed. "You want, in short, what all villains want."
"And what's that?" Rumple prompted.
"Everything. And I want to give it to you." Ingrid simply stated.
"What makes you so generous?" Rumple wondered.
"What you want is out there. And everything that I want is in here. Do what you want with the rest of the world. Storybrooke will be mine and Elwin will not be harmed because I still adore my little Snow Prince," Ingrid explained. "Do you want your answer?" she then asked.
"You know I do." Rumple replied.
"Then we have a deal." Ingrid concluded.
"You first," Rumple challenged. "Tell me what I require."
Ingrid smirked a bit and soon walked over to the former imp and whispered something into his ear.
"Not only can I do that... But I shall do it with great pleasure." Rumple then said after that was struck.
Ingrid gave a small smile, though she looked down at a certain figurine that belonged to Elwin which was that of Jack Frost of course and stared out at the moon as another night had come to Storybrooke.